Overview
- A faction of Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs says 19 members signed a May 18 letter and will meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday, June 15, to seek formal recognition as a separate parliamentary group and to sit with the NDA.
- Rebel leaders led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claim the breakaway would allow them to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and to secure central help for constituency projects.
- Mamata Banerjee’s office has rejected the letter as fake and senior party figures including Mahua Moitra argue the 91st Amendment removed lawful provision for a simple split, making disqualification under anti-defection law a key risk for dissenters.
- Enforcement Directorate searches at Madan Mitra’s premises and police/CID visits to Abhishek Banerjee’s residence, plus recent resignations by three Rajya Sabha TMC MPs, have intensified pressure on the party ahead of the Speaker meeting.
- If the Speaker accepts the claim the move would alter parliamentary arithmetic for the ruling coalition, while any contested recognition or symbol dispute would likely move to the Election Commission and echo past faction rulings such as those involving Shiv Sena and the NCP.